Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., August 31, 2008 Av 30, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:56 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 12:00 21/08/2008
Giuliani slams Obama for lack of political transparency after adviser visits Syria
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: John McCain, Rudy Giuliani 

Former Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani lashed out Wednesday against a one-time U.S. ambassador to Israel and adviser to Barack Obama who traveled to Damascus in July for talks with a top Syrian official.

Giuliani, a prominent supporter of John McCain's campaign, said Daniel Kurtzer's visit to Syria shows Obama's inexperience and lack of political transparency.

"If Senator Obama is truly going to bring transparency to Washington, this is surely no way to do it," Giuliani is quoted as saying in The New York Times.
Advertisement
"And maybe this is a playing-out of his negotiating with dictators and people like that without preconditions. [Kurtzer] said something to the effect of, 'we have to see if this does any good or what the repercussions of this were or whether they were being used,'" he added.

The criticism came after The New York Sun reported that Kurtzer, who is now a top foreign policy advisor to Obama campaign, met Syrian Foreign Minister Walled Moallem during his trip to Syria.

Kurtzer told the Sun that his visit to the country as part of a delegation of American lawyers was in no way conducted on behalf of the Obama campaign nor did he perform any official functions for Obama during the trip.

Rather, the former American envoy to Tel Aviv said he urged Moallem "to move ahead in the Israel-Syria negotiations as much as possible so that whoever is the next president would not start from too far down the track. I did not say anything about Obama or McCain. I said whoever is the next president is not going to want to inherit a process that isn't going anywhere," the Sun reported.

McCain backers seized on Kurtzer's trip as an example of Obama's foreign policy "inexperience."

"That is surely not the way to be conducting foreign policy: to engage in missions whether you're not certain whether you're being used or not," Giuliani told The New York Times. "It would seem to me the American people are entitled to more than that.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
World War III
A top Iranian general says an attack on Tehran would ignite a 'world war'.
Raising the price
Hamas says won't compromise, Israel must free 1,000 prisoners for Shalit.
  1.   Expansion or peace? 10:42  |  Natallie Durson 21/08/08
  2.   Guiliani for the next president of Israel 11:08  |  Steve the Pals. 21/08/08
  3.   Maybe we need some new fresh ideas! 11:54  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  4.   Good idea Steve 12:34  |  The filthy Zionist 21/08/08
  5.   Shalom Teacher! 13:03  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  6.   Brothers from Abraham! 13:13  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  7.   Teaching is good unless 14:33  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  8.   Transparent divorce 15:14  |  W 21/08/08
  9.   Why we never learn from History? 15:43  |  Dr.F.A 21/08/08
  10.   GULIANI CHEATED ON HIS WIFE. HAS NO MORAL AUTH 2 CRITCISE OBAMA 16:47  |  JACKAL 21/08/08
  11.   to Natalie fool #1 16:48  |  ihatehaaretzmore 21/08/08
  12.   Nutella Durson was privy to secret talks with Iran 17:15  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 21/08/08
  13.   Brothers? 17:33  |  Elisha Galon 21/08/08
  14.   Brothers Yes Dear Madam! 17:59  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  15.   Obama Has No Foreign Policy Experience 18:18  |  Dish it Out 21/08/08
  16.   ihatehaaretzmore: You should, the south is hardly intellectual 18:24  |  Im inlovewithhaaretz 21/08/08
  17.   Kurtzer Banned 19:45  |  Herbie 21/08/08
  18.   Fresh Ideas: see below 20:25  |  keesmeess 21/08/08
  19.   Would you please get some Fresher idea`s than these ? 20:48  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  20.   translation: Repubs have no peace plan - must throw stones 21:19  |  Pablo B 21/08/08
  21.   More, Fresher Ideas for Dr. F.A. 22:05  |  keesmeess 21/08/08
  22.   Foe Pablo B 22:38  |  Dr.F.A. 21/08/08
  23.   Guilliani, the failed Israel-Firster... 22:50  |  Ibrahim 21/08/08
  24.   #15 Dish it Out 00:52  |  mike 22/08/08
  25.   #10 Jackal, and not only did he cheat on her 00:57  |  mike 22/08/08
  26.   Guiliani complaining about transparency .... 02:03  |  Deborah 22/08/08
  27.   The same old song 08:58  |  Dr.F.A. 22/08/08
 Read & React
Top Iran general: Attack on Tehran will ignite 'world war'
Responses: 114
Shas chief: Olmert has no authority to decide Jerusalem's fate
Responses: 73
Zvi Bar'el: If Russia becomes involved in Mideast conflict it may be cause for panic
Responses: 8
Editorial: Are we ready to accept Shalit's murder, knowing he could've been freed?
Responses: 25


More Headlines
14:10 Olmert draws fire for Jerusalem proposal as he meets Abbas in capital
13:43 Shalit family: No more prisoner releases without Gilad
10:35 Hamas making $20 million a month from Gaza smuggling tunnels
11:22 Democratic Rep.: Palin pick is 'direct affront to all Jewish Americans'
02:21 ANALYSIS / A giant failure called Afghanistan
08:04 Nazi collaborator fled arrest, living peacefully in Germany
14:13 New Orleans residents ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Gustav nears
16:09 Top Iran general says attack on Tehran would ignite 'world war'
03:49 This Hyphenated Life post four / The capital of the Jewish World
11:27 Where are Israel's 3,500 elementary school drop-outs?
08:03 Openly bisexual Jewish-American basketball player tries out for Maccabi Haifa
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
MBA in Israel in English
APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
www. israel-property.com
Hebrew Summer courses
From $39.95
ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved